Police arrest 'brothel syndicate' members in raids across city

Members of a syndicate alleged to be illegally managing more than 100 sex workers at brothels across Melbourne have been arrested in raids by federal and Victorian police.

Police swooped on addresses across the city on Tuesday, arresting five people and charging them with living off the proceeds of crime. It is alleged the syndicate made more than $500,000 in the past five months.

The five people arrested include Mae Ja Kim, who is believed by police to be the central figure in the syndicate and has been linked previously to the Top on Tope brothel.

Photographs taken in Ms Kim's luxury Southbank apartment show massed rows of perfume bottles, racks of luxury shoes and designer handbags and two safes. But Ms Kim was dressed in a more casual grey tracksuit top when she was led away by police.

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Fairfax Media and the ABC's Four Corners program revealed in 2011 that police were investigating claims that legal brothels in Melbourne were being infiltrated by organised criminals, who allegedly used them as a front for human trafficking and sex slavery.

The people arrested on Tuesday were allegedly managing brothels despite being unlicensed, by using frontmen who did have licences. The brothels allegedly run by the syndicate include Top on Tope and Shop 39, both in South Melbourne, Tender Touch in West Melbourne and the Candy Club in Richmond.

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An Australian Federal Police spokesman said that after investigations police might recommend to the Business Licensing Authority — which regulates brothels — that the brothels' licences be cancelled or suspended.

Police executed 13 search warrants on Tuesday at the four brothels, houses and other businesses in South Melbourne, West Melbourne, Richmond, Southbank, Clayton, Flemington, Donvale and the CBD.

Mr Zheng bashed Mr Papo to death after the young man tried to help his girlfriend, a Korean prostitute and alleged sex slave, escape from the brothel, but Mr Zheng told police he acted in self-defence after Mr Papo had attacked him and no charges were initially laid.

Police reopened the investigation into the killing after fresh information uncovered by Fairfax Media was given to the State Coroner and the Office of Public Prosecutions. Mr Zheng was charged in July last year with Mr Papo's murder.

Mr Zheng bashed Mr Papo to death after the young man tried to help his girlfriend, a Korean prostitute and alleged sex slave, escape from the brothel.

Top on Tope was then partly destroyed by fire in August 2010 in what police believe was an arson attack linked to a turf war between sex industry figures implicated in human trafficking and sex slavery.

Fairfax Media reported in 2011 that two AFP investigations had identified at least three Melbourne brothels and two in Sydney linked to an international sex slavery ring.

"These crimes are particularly difficult to investigate but the AFP has shown they have the expertise to gather the evidence required to bring these individuals to justice," Superintendent Jouning said. ''Victoria Police has been working with the AFP for many years now and this is yet another example of how collaborative law enforcement can have successful outcomes."

The five people arrested on Tuesday will appear in court on Wednesday morning.